Hello Again
by BEN-Beyond the Elusive Nomads
Summary: They met on their High School soccer field. Spuffy, written for AU Bingo on LJ.


bTitle:/b Hello Again

bPrompt:/b Other: Sports

bMedium:/b Fic

bRating:/b PG-13

bWarnings:/b None

bSummary:/b They met on their High School soccer field.

Buffy was silent as she walked out of the school and into the quickly changing sky, watching her feet as she followed the almost instinctive path that she'd followed for four years. The sense of déjà vu was so strong that for a moment she thought she was 14 again, a freshman in high school and making her first of many trips down to the soccer field.

When she reached the field the grass was slightly overgrown and unkempt, but her heart swelled as memories assaulted her. She scanned the large mass of green with a calculating eye before she spotted a stray soccer ball that hadn't been put away. She hesitated for only a moment before nodding to herself and trudging over. She picked up the ball and weighed it in her hand before tossing it gently into the air.

The moment her knee connected with the ball it was like she had found herself again after years of denial. She began to juggle the ball, switching knees and keeping the ball afloat with little trouble. Soon she was smiling and as the ball bounced up into the air she knocked her forehead against it, sending it flying ahead of her. She wasted no time in taking off, her shoes sliding slightly against the dew covered grass but in no way deterring her. She dribbled the ball, kicking it between her feet as she headed towards her imaginary goal.

Then suddenly, the ball was kicked away from her. She almost skidded along the floor in surprise and turned in a flurry of blonde tresses before spotting the intruder. He was already a few feet away, and he was handling the ball just as skillfully as she had. Her confusion left in an instant, and before she could properly think things through she darted after him, catching up surprisingly fast and stealing the ball from under him.

They played like that for what felt like hours, never really speaking but enjoying themselves none the less. They played heavily, never cheating but never giving each other any time for hesitation. It wasn't until the sun set that they were forced to give up, and it was only then that they stopped moving. Buffy hunched over and braced herself on her knees, breathing heavily and smiling widely. She looked up as lights flooded the field and saw her mysterious partner wandering toward her, his chest heaving.

"Though we could use some light." He said, his voice surprising her with its light British accent. He was maybe a year older than her at the most, so that placed him as one of her former school mates. But she would definitely remember someone like him – lean, muscular, and platinum blonde with ice blue eyes that made her stomach clench.

"Thanks." She said, offering him a bright smile as she straightened, "Sorry, but I don't…" she paused for a moment and narrowed her eyes as he got closer. His image seemed familiar and the closer he got the more he started to remind her of someone. He stopped two feet in front of her, soccer ball under his arm as he quirked a scarred eyebrow and waited for her to finish.

Then it all came together in her mind – the impossibly sharp cheekbones, the blue eyes, the sexy pout, the scarred eyebrow, and the accent – it all made sense.

"William Pratt?" She gaped in surprise, unable to stop the small smile that turned her lips up, "I didn't recognize you at first."

"I, ah, go by Spike now." He said awkwardly, switching the ball to his other arm, "You're Buffy Summers, right?"

Buffy nodded, "Yeah, that's me. I never knew you were good at soccer."

Spike quirked an eyebrow and his lips curled up in a smirk, "You don't watch the telly much, do you?"

Buffy blushed and laughed awkwardly, "Well, not anything relevant. Only cartoons."

"I'm a professional now." Spike explained, almost bashfully, "I play for Manchester United. I'm only here for the summer, thought I'd stop by."

Buffy openly gapped, "No way. I never – well, you can understand why –"

Spike laughed, quickly reliving her of her awkward stumbling, "Yeah, I know, never really looked like the sporty type." He glanced at her, "You're good. When we were in high school I could have sworn you were planning on becoming a professional."

Buffy blushed slightly and rubbed her arm, "Well, Angel didn't really agree with that, so I tried my hand at something he thought was more fitting."

She grimaced and Spike couldn't help but ask, "Like what?"

"A nurse." She admitted, "But I'm terrified of hospitals. Then I tried being a teacher, but that didn't work out too well. Now I'm a counselor here at Sunnydale High."

"Are you an' Angel still together?" Spike asked, surreptitiously glancing at her hand and realizing at the sight of no ring. Buffy shook her head.

"We broke up four years ago." She admitted. Spike hesitated a moment before asking,

"So, do you think that I could take you out for coffee?" he asked, "If you aren't seeing anyone that is."

Buffy blinked in surprise – it had been ages since a man had asked her out, and it was unexpected. She bit down on her lip. "I'm single, but, um, I have a kid. I understand if you don't –"

"Friday at four?" Spike interrupted, smiling, "School gets out by then, right?" Buffy stumbled and hesitated before slowly smiling and nodding.

"Yeah. I think I'd like that." She said.

Spike grinned and looked around before tossing the ball up into the air, "You up for another game?" he asked. Buffy's smile widened and before he could react she snatched the ball out of his hand and kicking it across the field.

"Lets see if you can keep up." She agreed, and before he could react she was dashing down the field, her golden hair waving behind her.

Spike gave chase without a second thought.


End file.
